The Bare Necessities
by donnag76
Summary: It's the morning after the groundbreaking for Stark Tower and Pepper has a problem. Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own 'em. I just write about 'em. Rated T because I'm paranoid. Post-IM2/Pre-Avengers. Reviews wanted and appreciated. (Please be nice, though.) HAPPY READING!


**The Bare Necessities**

"Tony...Tony wake up."

"Five more minutes. I don't wanna go to school today."

"Tony, if you don't wake up, I swear to _God_ I will cut off your little Iron Man and keep it in a jar on my desk!" Wide-awake now, Tony opened one eye enough to see an angry Pepper Potts glaring at him. She was clutching a pillow to her chest. "Tony, where are my clothes?"

He blinked hard, the morning sunlight hurting his eyes. _Welcome back, Mr. Hangover. _"Uh...gimme a second. Right now I'm having trouble telling you where _I _am."

"I will tell you where you are. You are in New York City in a hotel with your angry, soon-to-be EX-girlfriend if you do not tell me where my clothes are."

Slowly, things began to register. Pepper. New York. Ground-breaking for Stark Tower. Champagne...LOTS of champagne. "That would explain the hangover," he mumbled.

"Tony, listen to me. A TV crew is on its way. You agreed to do an interview this morning about building the Tower. They will be here and I have nothing to wear! Unless you want the entire tri-state area to see me naked, you have to help."

"The last thing I remember, you were wearing nothing but a silver hard hat." He thought hard for a minute. "Did you have on a white dress?"

"At the reception, yes. But, I had a suitcase, a suitcase containing a change of clothes. Where is it?"

"On the plane."

"On the plane? Where is yours?"

"Uh...in the corner."

"Why is _my_ suitcase on the plane and _your_ suitcase in the corner?"

"Because, I, uh, I had it put there so you would stay here with me and not in another room."

Pepper sat on the bed beside him, pillow still in place. "We have been over this. I'm not leaving. I'm with you because I want to be. You don't have to try and convince me. Right now, though, what I really need is something to wear."

"If it's any consolation, I'm naked, too."

"Tony, people are used to seeing you naked. There is a YouTube channel of naked Tony Stark clips."

"I know. I've gone viral."

"_I_, however, have no desire to be filmed in nothing but what I wear in the shower."

"I would subscribe to that channel."

"I need clothes, Tony."

Their conversation was interrupted by the chirping of Pepper's cell phone. Before she could answer, Tony snatched it from the bedside table. "You have reached the answering service of Miss Pepper Potts," he said in an English accent. "How may I help you?" He listened to the voice on the other end explain what they needed with the Stark Industries CEO "Thank you very much, sir. I shall inform Miss Potts of this forthwith. Cheerio."

Pepper nudged Tony in the side. "Give me the phone," she said in a loud whisper.

"Sir, Miss Potts has just become available. Would you like to speak with her? Yes? Hold please." Tony placed his hand over the receiver. "It's John somebody from W-N-something-something. Said you told him to call."

"You are so weird," Pepper said, taking the phone from him. "Hello, Mr. Norton. Good morning. Yes, I do remember speaking to you about the interview. Mr. Stark will be more than happy to do it." She waved her hand in the direction of the bathroom. "Get in the shower!" she mouthed at him while the other man was speaking. Tony rolled out his lip in a fake pout, but Pepper wasn't amused. She swatted him on the shoulder and mouthed "GO!"

Reluctantly, Tony rose. His head was pounding, so he put on the sunglasses he found laying a few feet from the bed. Wrapping the sheet around his waist, he dragged it with him to the corner where his suitcase sat.

"Yes. Tell your crew to have the maid let them in and you can get everything set up. Uh-huh. Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Norton. Uh-huh. Goodbye." Pepper ended the call. She saw Tony struggling to deal with his suitcase and keep the sheet around him. "Now isn't the time for modesty. Drop the sheet and get your naked self into the bathroom. I will bring your clothes in there."

Tony swallowed his offer for her to join him, having the good sense to realize this probably wasn't the best time. He did as she said, leaving the sheet behind and walking to the bathroom wearing nothing but his sunglasses. He glanced in the mirror as he passed. He saw Pepper was going through his luggage.

Once in the bathroom, Tony tossed his glasses on the sink and made the shower as cold as he could stand it. A cold shower and strong coffee used to work, as well as he could remember. It had been so long, he had almost forgotten. He didn't count the debacle after his birthday party. Those were extenuating circumstances. The world needed Iron Man to be able to help when needed and not have to spend time in a cold shower sobering up first. That was one good thing to come from the entire Afghanistan experience. The other, and the best, was it allowed him to realize _exactly_ what he had in Pepper. How many other people would be rummaging around making sure _he_ had something to wear to an interview he didn't even remember promising to do while they had no idea where their own clothes were? Tony was standing there, letting the cold water run over him, when he heard the door open. He could hear Pepper moving around.

"This should be everything you need," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Tony winced. That was definitely not the voice of a happy camper. He did not need to make things worse by saying the wrong thing...again. "Okay," he said, hoping less was more.

"The television people are here. They haven't finished setting up yet, so you have about 10 minutes."

Tony decided to act before she attempted to leave. He pulled back the shower curtain enough to stick out his head. "Hey, Pep? Thank you."

Pepper's expression softened. "Just _try_ not to be late, okay?"

"Anything for you, Miss Potts."

Pepper managed a small smile. "Hurry, Mr. Stark." She took the robe hanging on the back of the door and left.

Tony ducked back inside the shower, determined to be done on time. Eight minutes later, a clean, fully dressed Tony Stark walked into the sitting area of the suite, a personal record for him. The world was used to seeing him in sunglasses, so they would hide his bloodshot eyes. The cold shower along with the aspirin Pepper left helped ease his throbbing head. Fortunately, this wasn't the first interview he'd faked his way through. He'd been answering questions for what seemed like an eternity when the bedroom door opened. What emerged left Tony and everyone else in the room speechless.

Pepper came out dressed in Tony's tuxedo from the night before, but it looked _nothing_ on her like it had on him. The jacket fit her like a glove and the fact he knew she had nothing on underneath it made Tony's mouth go dry. The pants looked tailored for her and the heels she wore with it all made her look like a model stepping right off the runway. She noticed Tony gawking and gave him an almost imperceptible smirk.

Tony was the first to return to his senses. "Miss Potts. So glad you could make it. This is Mr. Stevens." He looked to the man sitting across from him. "I assume you know Miss Potts. Without her, this whole project probably wouldn't have ever gotten off the ground."

"Y-yes, Miss Potts. Your CEO," the reporter stammered. "I...I didn't think that you would be here. That is, I didn't know you would be joining us for...I mean, Mr. Norton didn't _tell_ me that..."

"It's quite alright, honestly," Pepper said, trying not to laugh at the man's flustered state. "I hadn't planned on being a part of the interview."

"Well, better late than never."

"Sure thing," Tony agreed. "You can sit with me." He took Pepper's hand and practically pulled her down beside him. When she was seated, Tony sat close and put his arm along the back of the seat, his hand on Pepper's shoulder.

"I'm so very glad you could join us, Miss Potts. May I say, you look stunning."

"Thank you, Mr. Stevens," Pepper replied, blushing slightly.

"Please, call me Ken."

"Uh, Mr. Stevens," Tony interrupted, diverting the other man's attention from his girlfriend back to him. "You were asking about the Arc Reactor technology?"

"Of course. I'm sorry," Stevens apologized. "Will that be the building's sole power supply?"

Tony and Pepper answered questions for a few minutes more before the reporter declared he had filmed enough for the segment. As soon as he left them to call his station manager, Pepper turned to Tony. "I've never seen your eyes that particular shade of green before, Mr. Stark. Jealous much?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tony replied.

"Let's see," Pepper began, "how about _this_ for starters?" she said, lifting his hand off her shoulder.

"I didn't want you to get cold."

"Uh huh. So why were you giving poor Ken the death stare from the minute he first saw me walk into the room?"

"I didn't like the way he was looking at you."

"And how is that? "

"He was looking at you like…like…"

"Yes…"

"Like I used to look at other women," Tony finally let out. "I know what I was thinking and I don't want anybody thinking about doing those kinds of things to you but me."

Pepper laid a reassuring hand on his stomach. "He can think all he wants. I won't be doing _anything_ with _anyone_ but you."

"He said you were stunning."

"You don't agree?"

"Of course I do. You look…amazing! I never expected to see you wearing my clothes."

"My options were kind of limited, you know. I found my dress under the bed, but apparently someone was in a hurry to get it off and it was torn."

"You need to take better care of your clothes. You have rather expensive tastes." Tony tried unsuccessfully to hide his grin. He was unprepared for the slap Pepper gave his belly. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For ripping my dress, for starters. I will think of a better reason later."

Tony rubbed the spot where Pepper smacked him. After a minute of thought, he decided to change tactics. He turned them to where they were facing each other. "I feel _really_ bad about your dress getting torn," he said in a low, intimate voice. He took her hand in his and began rubbing his thumb across her knuckles. "How about, after these people leave, we find a way for me to make it up to you?"

"Oh, I already _know_ how you are going to make it up to me?"

"You do, huh? Care to share?"

Pepper reached and took her time fixing his collar. "We call Room Service for breakfast and then, after that, when _everyone_ is gone..." She straightened his tie and ran her hand down his chest. "You take me clothes shopping."

Tony could feel his ego deflating. "_Clothes shopping_?"

"Yes."

"But Pepper..."

"Tony, what am I wearing?"

"My tux?"

"Exactly. Why am I wearing your tux?"

"Because I tore your dress?"

"And..."

"I put the rest of your clothes on the plane." Tony saw where this conversation was going. "Can't we just go and get your suitcase or, better yet, just fly back home?"

"Oh no, Stark. You _owe_ me and I'm going to collect."

"But, clothes shopping? That can get...expensive."

"We will go _beyond_ expensive."

"Beyond expensive?"

Pepper leaned in and whispered into Tony's ear. "I plan to _really_ tarnish that Platinum Card, Mr. Stark."

"Just so you know, I'm going to need that suit back, Miss Potts," he said wryly.

"You will, just as soon as you buy me something to replace it." Pepper paused and added, "I will even let you help me change." She leaned in and kissed Tony's cheek before rising from the sofa. Turning to look back, she put out her hand for Tony to take.

With a love-drunk smile, Tony grasped her hand and pushed himself off the cushion. He didn't let go. It didn't matter _where_ she was taking him. He would trust Pepper Potts wherever she led. Just like food, shelter, and clothing, for Tony, she was one of life's bare necessities.

**Author's note: This story was inspired by a picture I came across of GP in an ad for Hugo Boss wearing what looks like a man's suit jacket with nothing underneath. I said, "Doesn't that look like Pepper after a night partying with Tony? There is a story there" and my Best Friend said, "Write it!" So...I did. :D This could almost be considered a kind of follow-up to FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING. Please let me know what you think. I love reviews. Special thanks to starkind and jewels for their support and encouragement. Happy reading. PEPPERONY FOREVER!**


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